Solar and home batteries: partner or install yourself?

The three paths

Homeowners ask electricians about solar and batteries all the time: after outages, when adding an EV charger, when replacing a panel. Each path answers those questions differently.

There is no universal answer. Many shops start with referrals, move to partnering on the electrical scope and only later consider full installation.

The market and the workforce

BLS counts about 31,100 solar photovoltaic installer jobs in 2025 and projects 37% growth over the decade to 2035, with about 4,200 openings a year^[1]. The median annual wage was $53,140 in May 2025^[1]. Electricians are a much larger workforce, and their employment is projected to grow 9% over the same period^[2].

Most electrical contractors are small. There were 159,693 electrical contractor businesses with no paid employees in 2023^[3]. For a solo electrician or a small shop, building a separate solar installation crew is a big step; partnering on the electrical scope may make more sense.

Licensing

Most US states require electricians to be licensed^[2], and solar and battery work involves electrical connections that fall under those rules. Some states and localities also have solar-specific license categories, roofing requirements for work that penetrates the roof, or rules on who may sign off interconnection paperwork. Before offering any solar or battery service:

• Check your state licensing board for solar, low-voltage and roofing requirements.
• Check local permit requirements, including fire department rules for battery systems.
• Check your utility's interconnection requirements and who may submit applications.
• Confirm your insurance carrier covers the work you plan to do, including roof work.

Liability and safety

Solar installation adds risks most electrical shops do not usually carry.

• Falls: OSHA says falls are the leading cause of death in construction; 389 of 1,034 construction fatalities in 2024 were falls to a lower level^[4]. Rooftop work needs fall protection plans, equipment and training.
• Roof penetrations and leaks: you may be responsible for roof damage and leaks for years after installation.
• Production promises: if your proposal estimates energy production or savings, customers will hold you to it. Use conservative, documented assumptions.
• Battery systems: they need correct siting, clearances, ventilation where required and code-compliant installation. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and local fire code.
• Long warranties: solar customers expect long workmanship warranties. Make sure your business can honor them, including if you stop offering solar.

The partner model lets each company carry the risk it knows best: the solar company carries roof and racking risk, you carry electrical risk.

Battery-only and backup work: the natural fit

Many homeowners want backup power more than solar. Battery and backup work suits an electrical shop because it is mostly electrical:

• Assessing critical loads and recommending which circuits to back up.
• Installing critical-load subpanels or whole-home transfer equipment.
• Panel upgrades to support batteries, EV chargers and heat pumps.
• Coordinating with utilities on interconnection for battery systems that can export, if applicable.
• Generator alternatives and hybrid setups.

This work builds on skills you already have and creates a strong partner offering for solar companies that lack electrical capacity.

Partnership agreements: what to put in writing

If you partner with a solar installer, agree the details before the first job:

1. Scope: exactly which tasks each company performs, from site survey to commissioning.
2. Pricing and payment: how your scope is priced and when you are paid.
3. Scheduling: lead times and how changes are handled.
4. Permits and inspections: who pulls which permits and attends which inspections.
5. Warranty: who warrants what, for how long and how service calls are routed.
6. Customer communication: who the customer calls, and how you are introduced.
7. Referral payments: if either company pays the other for referrals, check that it is lawful in your state and disclose it to the customer if required.
8. Exit: how either side can end the arrangement and what happens to warranty obligations.

Our guide to building a referral program covers referral rewards more broadly.

What to tell homeowners who ask now

Whatever path you choose, your team needs a clear answer when a customer asks about solar or batteries on a service call. A vague "we don't really do that" sends the customer elsewhere for the electrical work too.

• If you refer: "We don't install panels ourselves, but we work with a solar company we trust, and we handle the electrical side, like your panel. Would you like me to pass on your details?"
• If you partner: "We do the electrical work for solar and batteries with a partner who handles the roof. I can arrange a joint visit."
• If you install: "Yes, we design and install solar and battery systems. Let's start with your electricity use and your roof."

Record every solar or battery question in the job notes, even when you refer. After six months, you will know how much demand there really is, which is the most important input to the decision.

Choosing a solar partner

Not every solar company is a good partner for an electrical contractor. Before agreeing to work together, look for:

• A track record you can check: years in business, reviews and references from homeowners and other trade partners.
• Clean permits and inspections in your area, and good relationships with the local building department and utility.
• Clear, honest proposals that do not overstate production or savings. Your name will be attached to the project.
• Fair payment terms and a history of paying subcontractors on time.
• A warranty and service process that does not leave your team answering for roof leaks or monitoring problems.
• Sales practices you are comfortable with, since customers will assume you endorse them.

Start with a few jobs and review them together before committing to volume.

The cost of an in-house crew

Staffing is the biggest commitment. In 2023, US electrical contractor establishments paid an average of $76,545 per employee in annual payroll^[5], before benefits, vehicles, insurance and roof safety equipment. A solar crew also needs a designer or design software, permit expertise and someone to manage utility interconnection. Run the numbers on how many projects a year it would take to keep a crew busy, and what happens in slow months.

How to decide

Answer these questions honestly:

• Are you already getting regular solar and battery questions from customers, or are you guessing at demand?
• Do you have, or can you hire, people experienced in rooftop work and solar design?
• Can your insurance, licensing and safety program support roof work?
• Can your cash flow handle large projects with longer payment cycles?
• Would you rather own the whole customer relationship, or keep your focus on electrical work?

If most answers point away from in-house, partnering on the electrical scope captures much of the value with less risk.

Revisit the decision every year

The right path can change. Incentives, utility interconnection rules, equipment prices and local demand all move, and so does your own team. Once a year, review the solar and battery questions logged in job notes, the revenue from partner work, any warranty calls and the state of your crews. If demand is steady and you have the people and insurance in place, the next step may make sense. If partner work is profitable and low-risk, there may be no reason to change.

Example: a staged approach

Example (fictional): A six-electrician shop gets several battery questions a month after a series of outages. It starts by partnering with a local solar installer, handling panel upgrades, critical-load subpanels and battery wiring, while the partner handles modules and racking. After a year, the shop is doing battery-only projects on its own and has a steady stream of electrical work from the partner. It decides not to build a rooftop crew, because roof work would need new insurance, training and equipment, and the partnership already delivers the work it wants.